58 THE ADVANCEMENT OP LEARNING. 



part of the mind, and giveth law to the will itself. For there 

 is no power on earth which setteth up a throne or chair of 

 estate in the spirits and souls of men, and in their cogita 

 tions, imaginations, opinions, and beliefs, but knowledge and 

 learning. And therefore we see the detestable and extreme 

 pleasure that arch-heretics, and false prophets, and impostors 

 are transported with, when they once find in themselves that 

 they have a superiority in the faith and conscience of men ; so 

 great as if they have once tasted of it, it is seldom seen that 

 any torture or persecution can make them relinquish or aban 

 don it. But as this is that which the author of the Revelation 

 calleth the depth or profoundness of Satan, so by argument of 

 contraries, the just and lawful sovereignty over men s under 

 standing, by force of truth rightly interpreted, is that which 

 approacheth nearest to the similitude of the divine rule. 



(4) As for fortune and advancement, the beneficence of 

 learning is not so confined to give fortune only to states and 

 commonwealths, as it dotR not likewise give fortune to par 

 ticular persons. For it was well noted long ago, that Homer 

 hath given more men their livings, than either Sylla, or 

 Csesar, or Augustus ever did, notwithstanding their great lar 

 gesses and donatives, and distributions of lands to so many 

 legions. And no doubt it is hard to say whether arms or 

 learning have advanced greater numbers. And in case of 

 sovereignty we see, that if arms or descent have carried away 

 the kingdom, yet learning hath carried the priesthood, which 

 ever hath been in some competition with empire. 



(5) Again, for the pleasure and delight of knowledge and 

 learning, it far surpasseth all other in nature. For, shall the 

 pleasures of the affections so exceed the pleasure of the sense, 

 as much as the obtaining of desire or victory exceedeth a song 

 or a dinner? and must not of consequence the pleasures of the 

 intellect or understanding exceed the pleasures of the affec 

 tions ? We see in all other pleasures there is satiety, and after 

 they be used, their verdure departeth, which showeth well they 

 be but deceits of pleasure, and not pleasures ; and that it was 

 the novelty which pleased, and not the quality. And, therefore, 

 we see thai voluptuous men turn friars, and ambitious princes 

 turn melancholy. But of knowledge there is no satiety, but 

 satisfaction and appetite are perpetually interchangeable ; and, 

 therefore, appeareth to be good in itself simply, without fallacy 

 or accident. Neither is that pleasure of small efficacy and 

 contentment to the mind of man, which the poet Lucretius 

 describeth elegantly : 



&quot; Suave mari magno, turban tibus sequora veutis, &c.&quot; 



